Morocco’s Foreign Minister in Rome, a year after signing the declaration of strategic partnership

Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita visited Rome on Wednesday. In the Italian capital, he met his counterpart Luigi Di Maio and discussed the interlibyan dialogue and bilateral and economic relations.

This meeting comes almost a year after Bourita and Di Maio signed a declaration of multidimensional strategic partnership in November, 2019. The agreement is meant to «maintain a permanent and in-depth dialogue on all sectors of common interest, ensure coordination on international and regional issues related to Africa and the Mediterranean, starting with the Libyan issue».

Il Presidente @Roberto_Fico ha incontrato oggi a Montecitorio il Ministro degli Esteri del Regno del #Marocco, Nasser Bourita #OpenCamera pic.twitter.com/tZTFWKesAj

— Camera dei deputati (@Montecitorio) October 7, 2020

Concerned about the Libyan crisis, the Italian government is closely following the course of Moroccan mediation. Long before the start of the Bouznika round meetings, in September and October respectively, Minister Luigi Di Maio telephoned Nasser Bourita on August 2 to express Rome's appreciation for the efforts made by Rabat to bring the Libyan fractions together.

A conversation which took place only a few days after the trip to Rabat of the president of the High Council of State, Khaled Al Mechri, and the president of the Parliament of Tobruk, Aguila Saleh.

During his visit to Rome this Wednesday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with the President of the House of Representatives, Roberto Fico.